Farming is a tough business. While new fertilizers and pesticides have dramatically increased yields, they are not cheap and the costs keep going up. Irrigation is crucial to a successful growing season, but the supply of fresh water is decreasing in many parts of the world and what little is available may be contaminated by the very fertilizers and pesticides used by farmers today.
The Guardian reports that wheat farmers in Kansas are struggling because wild temperature extremes this spring have ruined their crop of winter wheat. Where once they harvested 40 to 50 bushels per acre, this year the yield is less than 2 bushels per acre. That’s not enough to pay for farm equipment, seeds, fertilizer, and pesticides.
Merrill Nielsen has been growing crops all his life on a farm his great-grandfather established in 1871. He says this year’s growing season was one of his worst in years. Wheat farmers throughout Kansas as well as those in Oklahoma, Texas, Colorado, and Nebraska report much the same thing.
The US Department of Agriculture has rated 44% of the wheat harvest in Kansas and 49% of the harvest in Oklahoma as being poor to very poor. Earlier this year, the agency estimated that US wheat acreage will be the lowest since 1919. Shel Winkley, a meteorologist at Climate Central based in Texas said, “It wasn’t just a weird, wonky March. We understand there’s something bigger here. Especially at the peak of the heat in March, we know that those temperatures would be rare or almost virtually impossible at that time of the year in the central Plains, without an influence of climate change.”
One thing rural voters seem not to understand is that all those pretty red barns and tractors crisscrossing their land will cease to exist if farmers go broke. One bright spot on the horizon is renewable energy. No matter how much people march on their local councils and scream about how solar panels and wind turbines are a blight on the rural countryside, they pay farmers well for the use of their land — money that may be the difference between a successful farm and farmland being sold off for residential or commercial development. Or data centers!
It should be noted that policy decisions made on the banks of the Potomac are making life more difficult for farmers. Tariffs announced on social media have made the price of everything farmers need to make a living more expensive. That was bad enough, but then the ill-advised war on Iran sent the price of fertilizer and diesel fuel through the roof.
Blake Gendebien owns a 1,200 acre dairy farm with 500 cows in Lisbon, New York. He told The Guardian, “These rising costs are hitting us at the wrong time here in the north country in New York. I use 20,000 gallons of fuel to get my crops in the ground and harvested.” One year ago, diesel cost $2.65 a gallon. This year, it is closer to $5.00 a gallon. Simple math says he will spend $50,000 more for fuel this year than last. Do you think most farmers just have 50 grand they don’t need laying around? Think again.
According to the most recent statistics, 86% of farmers in America run small family farms, defined as having a gross income of $350,000 a year or less. The majority of those farms have high risk profit margins of 10% or less. So rising diesel costs pose a serious threat to their ability to stay in business. “It’s a massive cost for farmers that are already barely, barely getting by,” Gendebien said.
The latest research from RMI finds that revenue from rural solar and wind energy has become significant in some states. At the national level, it is approaching the scale of major agricultural commodities. Revenues from wind and solar are concentrated in a relatively small number of states, many of which are also among the country’s biggest agricultural producers.
In 2024, RMI says, nine states had wind and solar revenue that exceeded $1 billion. Combined they accounted for $23 billion or 63% of the national total. By comparison, cash receipts from cattle and calves, corn, and soybeans exceeded $5 billion in 15 states. Seven of these leading agricultural states were also among the leaders in wind and solar revenue, and four of the remaining eight states — Indiana, Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota — had revenues of more than $500 million.
For farmers, wind and solar projects can provide predictable revenue that supports long term financial resilience. At the same time, wind and solar projects create new revenue streams for their host counties — revenue that supports rural communities. The payments farmers receive from wind and solar companies complement agricultural economies and provide additional income diversity, making them more resilient to economic shocks, like poor harvests. “As more energy infrastructure is built, counties that are intentional about land use and that embrace leading practices will be best positioned to capture these benefits,” RMI says.
It is estimated that 90% of projected solar infrastructure through 2050 will be sited on rural lands. Research institutions such as Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and Columbia’s Sabin Center, which track public views on energy development, find that rural residents are optimistic about economic opportunities from solar and wind. However, they are also concerned about farmland loss, visual impacts on the landscape, and potential effects on property values.
Solar and wind affect agricultural land differently and need not directly compete with agricultural practices, RMI says. Large wind projects mostly leave surrounding farm activity intact. A USDA study found that between 2012 and 2017, less than 1% of wind sites located on cropland or pasture shifted out of agriculture after installation. Solar arrays have a larger direct footprint, and the same study found that 15% of solar sites shifted away from agricultural use.
A key benefit of solar and wind development is the stable income they can provide to farmers. Income from agricultural production can fluctuate as commodity prices, production levels, and input costs change. Farmers who choose to host energy projects typically receive annual land lease or royalty payments that can help offset that volatility. For some farms, the additional revenue from a solar or wind facility can provide the stability needed to remain in operation during challenging years.
There are wider community benefits from wind and solar installations. Rural municipalities and counties receive tax payments that help fund road maintenance, schools, and other public infrastructure and services. Energy projects also create construction jobs and long term local employment opportunities.
In addition, some energy projects use community benefits agreements and other negotiated commitments to align projects with local priorities and deliver benefits that meet local needs. In Howard County, Iowa, three wind projects totaling 244 MW paid $2.7 million in taxes in 2024 — equal to 14.5% of the county’s total tax revenue.
The chart above illustrates the approximate direct economic benefits that a 100 MW wind project can generate for farmers and rural communities over a 25-year operating life. The benefits of a solar project are comparable.
“Wind and solar projects are increasingly contributing to economies in rural America. These projects support financial stability and resilience for farmers and contribute to local tax revenue and employment,” RMI says. “As development continues in many rural areas, farmers, counties, and other stakeholders that are intentional about land use and structuring community benefits will position themselves well to capture this local economic value.”
The debate over “rural character” will go on (and on), powered in large part by pressure groups funded by the fossil fuel industry. Instead of bemoaning the loss of red barns, it might be better to ask farmers if they could use extra money to prevent their farmland from being sold to developers. If you are not a farmer, you probably don’t fully appreciate how stressful it is to have a pile of bills on your desk waiting to be paid while the crops you planted months ago fail to produced the hoped for harvest. “Rural character” is all well and good, but it is no substitute for having enough money to pay those bills when they come due.
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Steve writes about the interface between technology and sustainability from his home in Florida or anywhere else The Force may lead him. He is proud to be “woke” and believes weak leaders push others down while strong leaders lift others up. You can follow him on Substack at https://stevehanley.substack.com/ but not on Fakebook or any social media platforms controlled by narcissistic yahoos.
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The Asahi Shimbun
National Report
article
By TAKAHIRO TAKENOUCHI/ Staff Writer
May 12, 2026 at 16:39 JST
Officials hold a flexible perovskite solar cell during a ceremony in Kashiwa, Chiba Prefecture, on May 11. (Takahiro Takenouchi)
KASHIWA, Chiba Prefecture—In a first for Japan, a pioneering experiment is underway to grow rice under a canopy of next-generation solar cells, a project aimed at solving two of the nation’s most pressing issues: food sustainability and clean energy.
The project, which began with a ceremonial rice-planting on May 11 at Chiba University’s Kashiwanoha Campus in Kashiwa, tests the concept of “solar sharing” by stretching thin, flexible perovskite solar panels over a paddy.
The goal is to generate electricity and cultivate crops on the same plot of land to boost farm income and contribute to climate goals.
Perovskite solar cells are a Japanese invention that are lighter, thinner and more pliable than conventional silicon panels. Their development is closely tied to the region, as Chiba Prefecture is a leading global producer of iodine, a key material in their production.
Solar sharing, also a domestic innovation, is gaining traction to make farming more economically sustainable.
Proponents say the added revenue from electricity generation can support agricultural operations, while research suggests the panels’ shade can protect crops from the damaging effects of the intense summer heat.
At the Chiba University site, researchers will spend three years studying the power output and durability of the perovskite cells, manufactured by Sekisui Chemical Co., while monitoring their impact on rice yield and quality.
To provide a direct comparison, traditional silicon solar panels have been installed on an adjacent plot. Researchers expect the lighter perovskite cells to prove advantageous, requiring less structural support and creating fewer obstacles for farm machinery.
The electricity generated by the project will power facilities on the university campus.
“I hope that rice cultivation nurtured under the latest solar power technology will become a model for a sustainable society,” Chiba University President Kotaro Yokote said at the ceremony.
Mitsuhiro Higashi, head of Terra Inc., a Sosa-based company managing the project’s solar sharing component, hopes to see the concept expand.
“We want to multiply these two environmental technologies with ties to Chiba and spread them to the world,” he said.
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On May 11, 2026, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey announced plans for a major solar energy expansion at Newark Liberty International Airport. – PROVIDED BY PANYNJ
Newark Liberty to expand solar energy project
On May 11, 2026, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey announced plans for a major solar energy expansion at Newark Liberty International Airport. – PROVIDED BY PANYNJ
Matthew Fazelpoor//May 11, 2026//
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey announced plans May 11 for a major solar energy expansion at Newark Liberty International Airport. The move will add 5 megawatts of generating capacity across five sites.
The project builds on a growing sustainability portfolio at Newark Liberty that includes the nation’s largest rooftop airport solar array as well as the agency’s first fully decarbonized building.
SunLight General Capital will develop the project through a power purchase agreement. The work is expected to generate nearly 5.9 million kilowatt-hours of electricity annually — enough to power more than 550 homes. Meanwhile, it would avoid nearly 2,000 metric tons of carbon emissions each year.
Construction is expected to begin this year and conclude in 2028. Under the agreement, SunLight General Capital will finance, build, own and maintain the systems. The Port Authority will purchase the electricity at a fixed rate, limiting upfront capital costs.
The installations will span rooftops, parking lots and parking structures around the airport. Sites include the Terminal C garage, the P4 parking garage, the ride hailing lot, and the parking area near Buildings 79 and 80 at the northeast corner of the campus. Officials said the ride hailing lot installation is specifically sized to support fast-charging electric vehicle stations.
Gov. Mikie Sherrill said the project continues a broader push to modernize energy infrastructure and expand renewable generation capacity.
“This initiative will … support new jobs, and move us closer to a clean energy future,” Sherrill said. “Newark Liberty is one of the front doors to New Jersey, and this project will show why we are a national leader in energy innovation.”
Port Authority Chairman Kevin O’Toole said the airport has become a centerpiece of the agency’s sustainability efforts. “Today we’re adding to that record with 5 megawatts of new solar capacity across five more sites, moving this airport and this agency even closer to net-zero emissions,” said O’Toole.
Executive Director Kathryn Garcia said the expansion demonstrates how climate commitments translate into active infrastructure projects.
“These five additional sites at the airport, together generating 5 megawatts, show that our net-zero commitment is more than wishful thinking,” Garcia said. “It is a construction schedule and a signed agreement, with the reality of clean energy coming online at one of the busiest airports in the country.”
These five additional sites at the airport … show that our net-zero commitment is more than wishful thinking.
– Kathryn Garcia, Port Authority executive director
These five additional sites at the airport … show that our net-zero commitment is more than wishful thinking.
– Kathryn Garcia, Port Authority executive director
Ed Klehe is chief investment officer at SunLight General Capital. He said the initiative highlights how renewable energy projects can integrate into large transportation hubs. “Expanding solar across Newark Liberty International Airport is a powerful example of how clean energy can be integrated into complex, high-impact infrastructure,” said Klehe.
The latest project adds to several sustainability initiatives already underway at EWR. The airport’s Terminal A parking garage features a 5-megawatt rooftop solar array with more than 12,700 panels. Also, the airport’s historic Building One recently underwent a full decarbonization retrofit that eliminated on-site fossil fuel use.
Agency-wide, the Port Authority said its solar capacity has grown from 1.6 megawatts in 2021 to more than 14 megawatts today. The Newark expansion is expected to push total generating capacity to nearly 20 megawatts across roughly 32,000 solar panels.
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EVANSVILLE, Ind. (WFIE) – A new solar co-op is getting underway in Evansville.
City leaders will join the nonprofit group Solar United Neighbors to announce the launch.
Officials say the co-op will help local homeowners and small businesses access solar energy and reduce their utility costs.
The announcement will take place, Tuesday, May 12, at 10 a.m.
We’ll update this story with the details.
Copyright 2026 WFIE. All rights reserved.
SHANGHAI, May 12, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — JinkoSolar, the global leading PV and ESS supplier, recently officially signed a strategic supply agreement for 2GW high-efficiency PV modules with Masdar, a global clean energy leader. Under the agreement, JinkoSolar will supply its high-performance Tiger Neo series modules for RTC, the world’s first gigascale round-the-clock renewable energy project in Abu Dhabi, ensuring stable and efficient clean power output with premium product strength. The powerful partnership between the two sides will jointly build a new global zero-carbon energy benchmark.
The signing ceremony was witnessed by core senior executives from both parties, including Mohamed Jameel Al Ramahi, CEO of Masdar; Jad Abdel Rahim Masri, Senior Director of Group Supply Chain and Procurement and Manager of Masdar; Abdulla Zayed, Director of Business and Project Development, Masdar; as well as Charlie Cao, CEO of JinkoSolar; Gener Miao, CMO of JinkoSolar; and Robin Li, General Manager of the MEA Sales Centre of JinkoSolar. This cooperation fully reflects Masdar’s high recognition of JinkoSolar’s product quality, delivery capability and global localized service system, and further proves that JinkoSolar Tiger Neo modules have become the preferred core product for the world’s top large-scale new energy projects.
Located in Abu Dhabi, RTC is the world’s first gigascale renewable energy project integrating solar power and battery energy storage. Jointly developed by Masdar and the Emirates Water and Electricity Company (EWEC), the project integrates a 5.2GW solar photovoltaic (PV) plant with a 19 gigawatt-hour (GWh) battery energy storage system (BESS), the largest and most technologically advanced system of its kind in the world.
RTC reimagines the potential of renewable energy by overcoming intermittency. Once operational, the project will produce gigascale baseload energy at a globally competitive rate for the first time, setting a new international benchmark and reaffirming the UAE’s position in renewable energy development. The project will act as a blueprint that can be replicated internationally to meet the growing demand for clean, secure, round-the-clock power.
The Tiger Neo modules supplied by JinkoSolar fully comply with the technical standards for specialized modules tailored for the project scenarios, upgraded based on the mature and advanced N-type TOPCon technology platform.
The successful signing of the 2GW module purchase agreement marks an important milestone for JinkoSolar’s deep development in the high-end Middle Eastern new energy market and the long-term strategic partnership with Masdar. Moving forward, JinkoSolar will fully support the efficient construction and advancement of RTC through high-quality product delivery and localized technical services. JinkoSolar will continue empowering the implementation of large-scale global new energy supporting zero-carbon projects with top-tier PV products and accelerate the high-quality green and low-carbon energy transformation together with global partners.
The Shenango Township farmland property where a solar farm development is planned. May 11, 2026.
Multimedia Journalist
The Shenango Township farmland property where a solar farm development is planned. May 11, 2026.
The Shenango Township Board of Supervisors has voted to approve conditional use for a solar farm development on Bethel New Wilmington Road.
Township solicitor Brett Stedman confirmed to 21 News that the board of supervisors approved the application from Wilmington Solar, LLC — a subsidiary of Susquehanna Solar — at its meeting May 7. Stedman described the project as a “rather standard” small-scale solar farm, which will use less than half of the property.
Those living nearby have fought the proposed development. Several neighbors told 21 News Monday that they worried about environmental, aesthetic and property value impacts.
A solar farm project in Shenango Township has been granted conditional approval, but some say that the project has received some pushback. Ally Ross has more on what some residents have been saying.
“I was devastated to hear about this. … I won’t call it progress,” said Jacquie Calvert, who has lived on the street for 48 years.
Calvert said she was especially concerned for the local wildlife.
“We have deer, fox, eagles, hawks,” she said. “Bear [came] through the property here in 2022. I worry about storm water drainage here, runoff. They talk about silt getting into the creek, I’ve heard, or nutrient deprivation, which would starve the fish and anything aquatic down there.”
Susquehanna Solar did not respond to 21 News’ request for an interview to share more about the project and address neighbors’ concerns.
Our 101 West program, “Moving the Needle,” explored the use of solar and wind as an alternative energy source in Ohio. What we found were barriers going up against the development of renewable energy.
Longtime residents Donald and Joann Yasnowsky are selling part of their property to Susquehanna Solar for the project. Joann said in an interview Monday that as she and her husband age and their health declines, they stopped farming on the land years ago.
The retired couple lives with their 40-year-old son, Kevin Yasnowsky, who has Down Syndrome. While Kevin has made strides towards independence — he works a part-time job and recently learned to drive — Joann said there is no other family to take care of him when they are gone. Selling the chunk of property became important to them to be able to invest in his future.
“It was our decision, and it was the best one for us,” Joann said. “We’re staying here at this farm, and we’re going to be neighbors with the solar panels, too.”
Joann said she supports environmentally friendly energy and does not share her neighbors’ concerns about negative impacts.
Even if the supervisors wanted to reject the development, they may not have been able to. Stedman said Pennsylvania law obligates the township board of supervisors to approve any application, so long as it meets all of the criteria in the zoning ordinance.
He added that the benefit of a conditional approval is that it allows the supervisors to enforce certain standards and requirements.
“Safeguards for noise, for buffering, for decommissioning in the event that the property owner abandons the use, as well as for a separate bond for maintenance of the property in the event that the property owner fails to maintain it,” Stedman said. “Standard protections … from either unsightly views, a nuisance noise, glare, those sorts of requirements were all included.”
Despite her disappointment, Calvert acknowledged that the supervisors “did the best they could” to mitigate any negative impacts.
According to Stedman, the next step will require the company to apply for a land development plan, where more details will be learned about what the solar farm will look like and its timeline for development.
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Coal India Ltd said today that the name of its arm CIL Solar PV Ltd has been struck off from the Register of Companies under Section 248(5) of the Companies Act, 2013, and that the subsidiary now stands dissolved.
Image: Coal India Limited
Coal India Ltd, a state-owned coal miner, has dissolved its solar manufacturing arm, CIL Solar PV Ltd, marking the end of its proposed entry into integrated solar PV manufacturing.
In a regulatory filing, Coal India said today that the name of its arm CIL Solar PV Ltd has been struck off from the Register of Companies under Section 248(5) of the Companies Act, 2013, and that the company now stands dissolved.
The move follows a public notice issued by the Ministry of Corporate Affairs in April 2026, which stated that the Registrar of Companies proposed to remove or strike off the name of CIL Solar PV Ltd under Section 248(2) of the Companies Act, 2013.
Coal India had formed CIL Solar PV Ltd as a special-purpose vehicle (SPV) to set up a planned 4 GW solar PV manufacturing facility covering ingots, wafers, cells and modules in India.
The proposed gigafactory formed part of Coal India’s broader diversification strategy as the company sought to expand beyond coal mining into integrated PV module manufacturing. The company has forayed into renewables development to decarbonisation operations. It plans to install 3 GW of renewable energy generation capacity by 2027-28 and 9.5 GW by 2029-30 pan India.
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Chinese researchers developed an all-perovskite tandem solar cell using a non-contact laser polishing strategy that reduces surface defects and improves charge extraction in lead-tin perovskite films. The device achieved up to 29.80% tandem efficiency, with the bottom cell improving from 19.64% to 24.07% and showing strong operational stability under continuous illumination.
Schematic of the tandem cell
Image: pv magazine / AI generated
Researchers at the Huazhong University of Science and Technology in China have developed an all-perovskite tandem solar cell using a non-contact laser polishing strategy that reportedly improves the surface morphology of perovskite films and enhances device performance.
The scientists explained that, although all-perovskite tandem photovoltaic devices have achieved considerable efficiency levels, they still suffer from voltage losses and low fill factors. In the bottom narrow-bandgap (NBG) mixed tin lead (Sn-Pb) cell, these losses primarily arise from interfacial defects at the junction between the perovskite absorber and the buckminsterfullerene (C₆₀) electron transport layer (ETL).
In addition, asynchronous crystallization of tin (Sn)- and lead (Pb)-based precursors introduces structural and compositional defects, while current fabrication methods further exacerbate these issues due to slow solvent removal. High-quality perovskite films also tend to exhibit large grains with rough surfaces, leading to poor interfacial contact, increased shunting risks, and reduced carrier extraction.
Existing approaches, including solvent engineering, additive strategies, and chemical or mechanical polishing, have improved film quality but remain limited in selectivity, controllability, or scalability. To address these challenges, the research team developed a non-contact laser polishing strategy that precisely removes defective surface layers without damaging the underlying perovskite.
The academics prepared the Pb–Sn perovskite films for the bottom cell with vacuum-driven percrystallization (VDP) and found they exhibited rough, defective surfaces that hinder interfacial charge extraction at the perovskite/C₆₀ interface, leading to shunting risks and non-radiative recombination. In order to solve this issue, they used a non-contact picosecond ultraviolet laser polishing technique to improve the surface quality of films. The laser selectively removes defective and rough surface layers without damaging the underlying perovskite, reducing compositional inhomogeneity and Sn-related defects.
The newly exposed surface is subsequently reconstructed to restore a high-quality perovskite phase with improved interfacial properties. The films were spin-coated, vacuum-quenched for rapid crystallization, annealed, and subsequently surface-treated with ethane-1,2-diammonium iodide (EDAI₂). They were then deposited on the glass-ITO substrate via a controlled spin-coating and gas-assisted crystallization process. Post-treatment included p-Phenylenediaminium iodide (PDAI₂) surface passivation, followed by C₆₀, SnO₂ (ALD), and ultrathin Au interlayers.
Tested under standard illumination conditions, the bottom cell treated with the new polishing technique achieved an efficiency of 21.65%, which compares to 19.64% for a reference device. It also reached 24.07% after surface reconstruction.
The tandem solar cell was fabricated on a glass substrate coated with indium tin oxide (ITO), a NiO-based tunnel recombination junction, a self-assembled monolayer known as 4PADCB as hole transport layer (HTL), a wide-bandgap (WBG) perovskite absorber, a C₆₀/SnO₂ electron transport layer (ETL) deposited via atomic layer deposition (ALD), a gold (Au) contact, a PEDOT:PSS HTL, a narrow-bandgap (NBG) perovskite absorber, a second C₆₀ ETL, a bathocuproine (BCP) buffer layer, and a silver (Ag) metal contact.
Based on this architecture, the all-perovskite tandem solar cell achieved a champion power conversion efficiency of 29.80%, with an open-circuit voltage of 2.16 V, a short-circuit current density of 16.60 mA cm⁻², and a fill factor of 83.12%. It also delivered a steady-state efficiency of 29.18% and retained around 80% of its initial performance after 650 hours of continuous operation under 1 sun illumination.
“The proposed surface conversion strategy effectively eliminates the key surface-effect bottleneck across various perovskite compositions, paving the way for universal performance improvement,” the scientists said.
The novel cell design was presented in “Non-contact laser polishing and reconstruction towards high-efficiency all-perovskite tandem solar cells,” published in nature communications.
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Scientists in Morocco have conceived an experimental–numerical model to quantify how fly ash soiling affects photovoltaic (PV) modules, capturing both optical losses and thermal effects. Their findings show that while dust layers can reduce panel temperature, fly ash significantly degrades efficiency in a non-linear way, highlighting the need for predictive models for real-world solar performance.
The experimental setting
Image: Science Engineer Laboratory for Energy (LabSIPE), Next Energy, CC BY 4.0
A research team from Morocco has quantified the impact of fly ash accumulation on PV modules using a combined experimental and numerical approach. In coupling experimental validation with numerical modeling, the group could provide a framework for assessing and predicting soiling-induced thermal and optical effects.
“Our paper synthesizes experimental validation, realistic simulation, and coupled optothermal-electrical modeling, while demonstrating practical operational applicability,” corresponding author Kamal Fadil told pv magazine. “This work not only advances our scientific understanding of the fouling mechanisms of photovoltaic cells but also contributes to the development of sustainable, intelligent, and energy-efficient maintenance strategies for future solar energy systems.”
Fadil highlighted that their model has specifically characterized fly ash, a very fine particulate dust produced mainly by combustion processes, such as road traffic emissions and industrial discharges. “Our framework undertakes a comprehensive evaluation of the influence of diverse fouling types, considering their optical attenuation and specific thermal effects on photovoltaic performance. This facilitates a more representative interpretation of real-world operating conditions encountered in urban, industrial, and highway environments, among others,” he added.
The study started with a test bench containing two identical monocrystalline silicon PV panels of 0.54 m², with a tilt angle of 35° and an azimuth angle of 0°. Coal fly ash was applied to one of the panels in three experiments, each with a different particle size: up to 20 μm, 20–45 μm, and 45–63 μm. Both panels were exposed to sunlight outdoors during sunny periods, from 09:00–17:00.
Image: Science Engineer Laboratory for Energy (LabSIPE), Next Energy, CC BY 4.0
At the same time, the researchers built a two-dimensional thermal model of the PV modules. It included solar radiation on the front glass, natural convection on the front and rear surfaces, and heat conduction through the internal layers caused by photon thermalization. Predicted temperatures were compared with thermocouple measurements from the test bench and showed excellent agreement, with a Pearson correlation of 0.997, a coefficient of determination (R²) of 0.994, a root mean square error (RMSE) of 0.79 C, and a mean absolute error (MAE) of 0.62 C.
“The numerical framework is strengthened by the integration of experimentally measured environmental and operational parameters, including climatic conditions, geometric configuration, thermophysical properties of photovoltaic modules, optical characteristics of the deposited particles, and varying fouling densities,” said Fadil. “This enhancement of the model’s physical representativeness leads to an improvement in its applicability to photovoltaic engineering tasks, including energy yield prediction, degradation assessment, loss estimation, and the sizing of mini-photovoltaic power plants operating in polluted environments and future installation areas.”
According to the experimental results, the clean panel reached higher temperatures of 70–72 C, while the fly-ash panel stabilized at 60–62 C due to the insulating effect of the deposited particles. However, despite being cooler, the dirty panel performed worse: its efficiency started at 14% compared to 16.5% for the clean panel at 25 C, and both dropped to about 8% at high operating temperatures.
“A salient finding of this research was the strong thermal amplification effect associated with fly ash accumulation. Whilst the prevailing wisdom attributes losses in electrical efficiency solely to optical losses, the results demonstrated that thermal accumulation can significantly intensify the degradation of this efficiency,” concluded the researcher. “Another salient observation reported in this study is that the relationship between fouling density and photovoltaic losses is not strictly linear under certain operating conditions, particularly when thermal effects become predominant.”
The research work was presented in “Quantitative assessment of fly ash–induced soiling in photovoltaics: Experimental validation and predictive modeling,” published in Next Energy. Scientists from Morocco’s Science Engineer Laboratory for Energy (LabSIPE), National School of Applied Sciences, and Chouaib Doukkali University have contributed to the research.
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Coal India Limited (CIL) has decided to dissolve its subsidiary, Coal India Limited (CIL) Solar PV Limited, from the Register of Companies. The move marks one of the most comprehensively documented setbacks in India’s public-sector renewable energy push, backed by findings from the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG).
In 2015, CIL committed to developing 1,000 MW of renewable energy capacity by March 2019, with the aim of reducing annual energy charges by ₹55.50 crore. The government later expanded the mandate in 2017, directing the company to develop 3,000 MW of solar capacity by 2024 and transition into a net-zero energy company.
However, by December 2024, CIL had installed only 122 MW of solar capacity — just 4.08% of the target — while most projects have now been delayed until 2027–28.
For a company with more than 200,000 employees, extensive land holdings across 83 mining areas, and a large captive power consumption base, the shortfall reflects a major failure in executing its renewable energy ambitions.
While CIL recently attempted to strengthen its renewable energy portfolio by commissioning a 100 MW solar project after receiving certification from the Gujarat Energy Development Agency, its broader solar initiatives through the subsidiary have suffered a significant setback.
The CAG, in an earlier report, revealed that the installed solar capacity across CIL and its seven subsidiaries stood at only 4.08% of the envisaged 3,000 MW target. The audit body criticised CIL for failing to fast-track project execution despite repeated commitments made to the Government of India. It also urged the company to expedite corrective actions related to compliance with guidelines aimed at mitigating air pollution.
CIL’s decision to dissolve the subsidiary did not emerge suddenly. Historical audit findings and repeated implementation delays had already pointed towards the company’s inability to achieve its renewable energy goals.
A Performance Audit Report highlighted that CIL’s memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Solar Energy Corporation of India for the development of solar projects failed to translate into meaningful progress. According to the report, the company did not initiate the necessary steps required to achieve the 1,000 MW target within the original timeline.
The delays persisted despite multiple initiatives undertaken by CIL to meet the expanded 3 GW target. The company established joint ventures with NTPC Limited in April 2010 and NLC India Limited in November 2020 for the development of 1 GW solar projects each, in addition to its partnership with SECI. CIL also formed a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV), CIL Navikarniya Urja Limited, in April 2021 to accelerate solar project implementation.
The company later executed an agreement with NLC India Limited to establish a joint venture for solar power development. However, subsequent Action Taken Notes (ATNs) failed to provide meaningful updates regarding the progress of these initiatives.
The CAG report further noted in its first ATN, submitted in November 2021, that only 4.84 MW of solar capacity had been installed, including 2.83 MW of rooftop solar projects and 2.01 MW of ground-mounted projects. CIL and its subsidiaries had also initiated steps to install an aggregate rooftop solar capacity of 10 MW during FY 2020-21.
However, the audit later observed that, as of December 2024, installed solar capacity across CIL and its subsidiaries had reached only 122.492 MW. Work orders had been issued for 692.50 MW of ground-mounted projects and 34.56 MW of rooftop solar projects, with commissioning timelines extended to 2027–28.
In its February 2023 response, the management attributed the slow progress to supply chain disruptions in photovoltaic (PV) solar modules following the Covid-19 pandemic. It also noted that the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy had granted blanket extensions for solar projects until March 2024 during December 2022 and January 2023.
According to the company, around 1,851.733 MW of solar capacity was planned across CIL-owned land, solar parks, and multiple states across India. The remaining 1,148.267 MW was proposed through additional land allocations and participation in pan-India renewable energy projects.
The Ministry stated in July 2023 that CIL was also planning an additional 1,158 MW of solar capacity by 2025–26. It further proposed exploring floating solar projects at abandoned mines and stabilised overburden (OB) dumps across various subsidiaries. However, no detailed update on implementation progress was subsequently provided.
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The Chinese manufacturer said its novel TOPCon cell design enables partial replacement of silver with aluminum paste while maintaining TOPCon-level efficiency of over 27% and compatibility with existing production lines.
Image: Jolywood
Chinese PV manufacturer Jolywood has started mass production of TOPCon solar cells with low-silver content at its factory in Taiyuan, Shanxi province.
Dubbed Nano Armor Metal Inter-Contact (Namic), the new cell architecture is designed to prevent aluminum diffusion into the silicon structure while maintaining vertical conductivity and limiting lateral conductivity. This enables partial substitution of silver paste with lower-cost aluminum paste in TOPCon metallization processes.
Jolywood said the mass-produced Namic cells have achieved conversion efficiencies above 27%, broadly in line with existing TOPCon products. The first-generation Namic 1.0 design uses silver paste on the front side and aluminum paste on the rear side. The process is reportedly compatible with existing TOPCon production lines.
For the Namic 1.0 upgrade, Jolywood said only additional laser equipment is required. The company has begun retrofitting part of its Shanxi capacity and plans an initial 8 GW conversion. The aluminum paste used in the process is sourced from the market, rather than requiring a dedicated supply chain, the company added.
Jolywood said the cells also demonstrated high-temperature resistance, ultraviolet (UV) stability and anti-potential-induced degradation (PID)-performance in reliability testing.
The company has also outlined a three-stage roadmap. Namic 1.0 focuses on rear-side silver reduction while maintaining TOPCon-level efficiency. Namic 2.0 is expected to increase module power, while Namic 3.0 is planned as a full aluminum-paste back-contact cell design.
The company said it remains open to future patent licensing under suitable conditions, noting that Namic commercialization will be a key focus of its research and industrialization work in 2026, alongside development in perovskite and back-contact technologies.
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Changes have been made to local zoning regulations.
Jay County Commissioners approved two new ordinances regulating battery storage facilities and data centers and amended existing ordinances regarding commercial solar and wind farms Monday.
They also repealed a one-year moratorium on new wind farm developments and retroactively ended one-year moratoriums on new solar farm and battery storage facility developments.
Jay/Portland Building and Planning has been working with the county plan commission on drafting zoning regulations for battery storage and data center facilities, as well as updating zoning restrictions for solar and wind farms, for about a year. The county enacted one-year moratoriums on new wind and solar farm and battery storage facilities last year to allow time for creating new legislation.
Moratoriums on new solar farm and battery storage developments in Jay County ended April 28. The moratorium on new wind farm developments was set to remain in effect through July 21.
Jay County Plan Commission recommended updates and new ordinances to the commissioners March 17. Per law, commissioners held a public hearing Monday before deciding on each ordinance.
All four ordinances indicate setback requirements may be waived in writing by adjoining landowners.
Commercial battery storage facilities are typically operated in conjunction with solar and wind farms to store captured energy. With the ordinance approved Monday, facilities in Jay County must have 500-foot setbacks from property lines. Equipment also needs to be enclosed within a 7-foot security fence set back 50 feet from the property line.
Permit fees are $2,500 per megawatt.
Data centers, per the new ordinance, are required to have 1,000-foot setbacks from property lines and 2,500-foot setbacks from residential dwellings, churches, schools, businesses, public buildings and other rural residential or commercially zoned areas. The maximum height of a data center in Jay County is 35 feet. Any water-based cooling system is required to operate on a closed-loop system.
The ordinance also sets hours of operation for generator usage, stipulates noise levels may not exceed 50 decibels as measured from property lines and requires a 6-foot berm to be used as a sound buffer between the facility and adjoining properties.
The required permit fee for data centers is 6 cents per cubic foot.
Both battery storage facilities and data centers are permitted only in areas zoned agricultural-residential with a special exception use granted by the Jay County Board of Zoning Appeals.
Jay/Portland Building and Planning director John Hemmelgarn and administrative assistant Pati McLaughlin both pointed out there is little regulation to use as a model regarding data centers, noting the county can always amend its zoning ordinances in the future if needed.
Hemmelgarn said the ordinance as written gives the Jay County Board of Zoning Appeals the power to determine how a data center’s cooling system would work.
He pointed to a recent decision by the St. Joseph County Drainage Board to allow an Amazon data center to discharge 31 million gallons of water daily from its New Carlisle construction site.
“I don’t think we want that here,” he said. “I think there is protection for the water, and the setbacks.”
Jase Small, a rural Penn Township resident, pointed to uncertainties with the new technology. Small was the only individual who was not an elected official or county employee to speak at the public hearing Monday.
“I feel the technology is really new, we don’t know the full repercussions of what they entail, just because it’s so new,” he said. “I think, if they want to come, that’s fine, but we set a stricter setback on them now, rather than wait until later.”
Commissioners approved the two new ordinances and repealed a moratorium on battery storage facilities.
Solar and wind farm ordinances were most recently updated in 2019. Updates approved Monday include increasing permit fees from $1,750 to $2,500 per megawatt and increasing development plan application fees from $20,000 to $50,000.
Setbacks for solar farms are 250 feet from property lines, and setbacks for wind farms are 1,500 feet from property lines. Per the new ordinances, those setbacks may be waived in writing by participating and non-participating landowners.
Previously, setbacks for solar farms were 25 feet, and setbacks for wind farms were measured at 1.5 times the wind tower height.
Commissioner Chad Aker serves on the Jay County Plan Commission and has been involved with updating and creating the new ordinances. He voiced support for each piece of zoning legislation prepared for commissioners Monday, specifically referencing how adjoining property owners are able to waive setbacks in writing.
“It does give the power back to the people that don’t want these projects right next to them,” he said.
Small, who lives on the Jay-Blackford county line, spoke in favor of measuring setbacks starting from the property line instead of the dwelling.
“I’m basically surrounded on the Blackford County side,” he said. “I pay the taxes for that property, I don’t like them using my land for their setback if it’s from the dwelling, so I do agree with the new ordinance.”
Commissioners president Duane Monroe said he wouldn’t vote for updating the solar farm ordinance, explaining he wanted to see solar panels installed for one of the four proposed projects in Jay County before he agreed to setback limits. Later in the meeting, he said he would like to see the setback doubled to 500 feet.
Commissioner Doug Horn also noted it’s difficult to make a decision without the county having a solar farm as a standard for regulations.
Hemmelgarn explained 250 feet had been common ground between farmers and developers and adjoining property owners, with additional footage leading to a significant amount of land being unused.
Discussion ensued on whether to approve the updates or start another moratorium. County attorney Wes Schemenaur said he would advise against establishing an indefinite moratorium on solar farms, pointing to legal troubles from roughly 30 years ago regarding a moratorium on landfills in Jay County.
Aker noted the county may amend the ordinance at any time. He suggested commissioners approve the changes, pointing to the larger setbacks and option for adjoining property owners to waive those setbacks in writing if they so choose.
Commissioners approved the updated solar farm ordinance 2-1 with Monroe dissenting. They also retroactively repealed a moratorium on solar farms, with Monroe dissenting on that vote as well.
••••••••
For more news from the commissioners’ meeting, see Wednesday’s newspaper.
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By HDFC SKY | Published at: May 12, 2026 03:15 PM IST
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Mumbai, May 12: Coal India shares traded lower on Tuesday, currently priced at ₹463.30 (down ₹1.15 or 0.25% from previous close at ₹464.45) during intraday trade as selling pressure prevailed amid a generally weak market after the company announced dissolution of its wholly owned subsidiary Coal India Solar PV Limited.
Price opened at ₹465.00, matching its previous closing price. Coal India shares traded mostly above its previous closing price during midmorning session, touching an intraday high of ₹469.00 around 10: 30 am as Oil & Gas and commodity stocks were up on rising crude prices overseas. Price turned south in post-noon session, tumbling below its previous closing price and dropping to an intraday low of ₹461.65 around 12: 30 pm before recovering slightly, erasing intraday gains made during midmorning session.
Price traded higher during the week of May 7 to Friday’s close, opening around ₹472 on May 5 and falling to a low of around ₹456.50 on May 8. Price recovered to close around ₹464 on Friday. Price has been under mild distribution since the start of the week, failing to recover to the ₹470-plus levels it traded at early last week despite several attempts by buyers to push prices higher on dips.
Coal India Limited on Tuesday informed exchanges BSE & NSE that its wholly owned subsidiary CIL Solar PV Limited has been struck off from the Register of Companies and dissolved with effect from May 11, 2026. The Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) has invoked sub-section (5) of Section 248 of the Companies Act, 2013 to dissolve the said subsidiary.
The said letter was received by the Company on Tuesday. This information has been given by B.P. Dubey, Executive Director (Finance) & Compliance Officer under Regulation 30 of SEBI (Listing Obligations and Disclosure Requirements) Regulations, 2015.
Profit after Tax: Coal India reported a net profit of Rs 10,839 crore for Q4 FY26, a rise of 11.1% year-on-year that beat analyst estimates comfortably.
Revenue: The company’s revenue rose 5.8% year-on-year to Rs 46,490 crore in the March quarter on account of higher offtake volumes.
EBITDA: Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation also rose 6.2% YoY to Rs 12,673 crore in Q4 FY26.
EBITDA Margin: EBITDA margin improved by 20 bps to 27.3%, suggesting that the company is still able to improve operational efficiencies despite a continued pressure on realisation.
Production: Coal production rose only 0.6% year-on-year to 239 million tonne in Q4 but fell 1.7% year-on-year to 768.2 MT for the full-year.
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Egypt plans 1-GW solar rollout on factory roofs Renewables Now
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Insurers tell pv magazine that severe convective storms (SCS) drove $60 billion in insured losses in 2025, a mounting toll that has become the primary force tightening capacity and raising prices across the solar energy insurance market.
PV module damaged by a hailstorm in Switzerland
Image: University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Southern Switzerland, International Journal of Impact Engineering, CC BY 4.0
Severe convective storms accounted for at least 47% of global insured catastrophe losses in 2025, generating $60 billion in total losses, according to Gallagher Re’s recently published “Improving Underwriting for Renewable Assets” report.
SCS and hail have accounted for more than $200 billion, or 42%, of all insured losses in the United States since 2020, compared with 34% from hurricanes. The United States was hit by at least 13 billion-dollar insured SCS loss events in 2025 alone, making it the third-costliest SCS year on record for insurers, behind 2023 and 2024.
“Hail has emerged as a key driver of losses for solar PV, particularly in regions exposed to severe convective storms,” said Tina Baacke, head of Germany and Austria at Swiss Re Corporate Solutions. “Latest Swiss Re research shows that 2025 was the third-costliest year on record for SCS – including hailstorms and damaging winds, after 2023 and 2024 (in 2025 prices) – adding $51 billion of insured losses globally. At the same time, other perils such as fire remain a key concern, with the potential to cause total losses if not effectively managed. This underlines the importance of robust safety concepts, including clear emergency response procedures and coordination with local fire services, to reduce the risk of high-severity events. At Swiss Re Corporate Solutions, we are placing great emphasis on site-specific hazard assessment, asset design and operational resilience when evaluating PV projects.”
Claims data
AXIS Capital’s analysis of closed solar claims between 2019 and 2025 found that hail accounted for 27% of natural catastrophe and extreme weather losses globally by total claim amount. More than 1 million PV modules have been damaged since 2019, accumulating a total gross claim of $342 million. The trend is being driven in part by module technology shifts: claims involving heat-strengthened glass PV modules – now widely adopted for weight and cost reductions – are $50,000/MW higher on average than claims involving fully tempered thicker glass, according to AXIS Capital data.
Sophie Draper, risk engineer for renewable energy at AXIS Capital, said increased claims activity reflects rapid solar expansion into geographies not historically associated with hail risk, where local convective weather patterns are less well understood. She said that as more projects come online globally, the growing area of glass panels is providing deeper data on hail impacts, and that AXIS Capital is monitoring scientific evidence suggesting climate change is contributing to stronger convective storms capable of generating larger hailstones.
Reflecting that uncertainty, Edward Gillespie, senior underwriter for renewable energy at AXIS Capital, said the company calibrates capacity deployment to known and unknown exposure.
“In areas we know to be highly exposed to hail or where the level of exposure is unknown, we must be prudent about the amount of capacity we deploy,” Gillespie told pv magazine. “Our aim is to deliver solutions for clients while maintaining underwriting discipline. We put a high focus on reviewing a project from the outset including how it’s been designed, constructed, and operated as well as a client’s approach to managing risk. It is important to see that clients are placing equal importance on each of these areas to properly mitigate these risks. Projects that demonstrate excellence may unlock more capacity while clients with projects in highly exposed areas may offset higher pricing and capacity limitations if their overall portfolio is well diversified, containing low and high risk-exposed projects.”
Mitigation gap
AXIS Capital sees this dynamic in South Africa, where new solar projects are increasingly located in the country’s more hail-prone eastern and northeastern regions – where energy demand and grid capacity are highest.
Tim Topham, underwriter for renewable energy at AXIS Capital, said the trend is compounding underwriting risk.
“Combined with the growing size of these projects, it creates an increased underwriting risk, and we need to take this into account when considering the terms we can provide, including limits and line sizes,” said Topham.
On mitigation, Draper said the three pillars AXIS Capital considers critical are accurate real-time forecasting, appropriate technology including trackers capable of stowing to more than 60 degrees, and a well-informed operations strategy. North American developers have broadly adopted these measures, she said, but uptake is lagging in markets with shorter operating track records, where hail probability models are warning of exposure.
AXIS Capital claims analysis found that the average cost of a PV hail claim is roughly halved when panels successfully stow, compared with claims where no stow occurred or the stow failed. Modeling by Nextracker and RETC found that for 2.0 mm front glass at 20 miles per hour front wind, breakage probability could be reduced 83% by moving from a 30-degree to a 75-degree stow angle.
Hail losses at utility-scale solar facilities have drawn increasing attention in the US market. A Texas solar project cut its insurance costs by 72% through targeted hail mitigation measures, while a separate analysis showed that hail risk exposure is increasingly affecting project finance terms. In April 2025, VDE Americas and kWh Analytics launched a new tool to help developers quantify site-specific solar hail exposure before financial close.
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Abstract:
In conventional solar power tower (SPT) systems, heliostats typically aim at a single point on the receiver, such as the cavity aperture center or external receiver equator. While these traditional strategies minimize spillage losses, they often cause excessive thermal stresses due to non-uniform solar flux distribution, reducing receiver efficiency and lifespan. To mitigate this, multi-point and optimization-based aiming strategies, encompassing deterministic, metaheuristic, and machine learning methods, have been developed to achieve more uniform flux profiles and enhance overall performance. This review examines heliostat aiming strategies in SPT systems, categorizing them into non-optimized (e.g., single- or fixed multi-point) and optimized approaches. It provides detailed insights into their methodologies, key parameters (such as aiming factors and allowable flux densities), and application contexts, including single- and multi-objective optimizations. For instance, studies show that optimized strategies can reduce peak flux by up to 65 % while improving thermal efficiency by 10–16 %. Incorporating recent advancements, this paper identifies research gaps, such as real-time adaptability under variable weather, and proposes future directions to advance SPT technology for maximized energy yield and sustainability.
Toufik Arrif, Samir Hassani, A. Sánchez-González, Abdelfetah Belaid, Mawloud Guermoui, Farid Melgani, Heliostat aiming strategies in concentrated solar power towers: A review,
Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Volume 227, 2026, 116489, ISSN 1364-0321, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2025.116489
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Boos and pleas for county leaders to protect a rural community filled a public hearing in Berkeley County as residents in Cross pushed back against a proposed 1
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Built for healthcare company Astellas, the project was completed in just four months.
May 12, 2026
Commercial and industrial (C&I) renewable energy developer Greenvolt Next has completed a 2.2MW ground-mounted PV plant in Dublin.
Built for healthcare company Astellas, the project was completed in just four months, with the C&I developer carrying out the design, installation and commissioning of the ground-mounted PV plant. It will also carry out operations and maintenance (O&M).
The project was designed with the possibility to accommodate additional inverters and also to co-locate battery energy storage on-site. The solar farm currently supplies 27% of Astellas’ electricity at the Damastown facility.
According to the company, the project included sustainability measures such as large bug hotels built using reclaimed tree stumps, the installation of several bat boxes, and a significant number of native Irish trees planted to promote local ecology and support long-term biodiversity on the site.
Sonaura to provide 7MW solar for Bentley Motors Crewe HQ
Gino Gautier, Global CEO DG of the Greenvolt Group, said: “This project shows how efficiently we can deliver on-site solutions at this level. In just four months, we supported Astellas in reducing its energy costs and improving predictability in a context of continued market uncertainty.
“The ability to combine speed with high-quality execution is increasingly important for organisations looking for these types of solutions, and we’re very pleased to meet that need.”
Part of the Greenvolt Group, Greenvolt Next operates in the distributed generation sector across 12 European markets and currently has an operational portfolio of over 405MW, with a further 1GW of signed capacity.
In Ireland, the developer targets to deliver 1GW of renewable energy capacity by 2030, which includes the construction of a 1.7MW solar carport at Cork Airport. The project is expected to reach commercial operation in two phases, with the first one this summer and the second phase by August 2027.
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New community solar garden in Owatonna breaks ground with goal of reducing homeowner energy bills CBS News
source
ROCKFORD, Ill. (WIFR) – Pat Curran, owner of Curran’s Orchard, walks the property where he’s run his business for more than 40 years.
Now, Curran says he’s worried what a proposed five megawatt commercial solar farm planned for neighboring land could mean for his orchard.
“There’s no doubt in my mind, it’ll have an adverse effect on our business, our agritourism, our rural business,” said Curran.
Curran says he believes solar farms take productive farmland out of use and thinks projects like this belong in industrial zoning districts.
He also worries the neighboring solar development could change how customers perceive the orchard and affect business.
“We say, ‘honey, let’s go pick apples this afternoon. Where do you want to go? Well, here’s one. There’s another one. This one’s got solar cells along the border. You want to go there? No, I don’t think so, I want to go to the other one. I don’t want to see solar cells when I go to pick apples, okay?’ So that’s the hurt,” worries Curran.
Curran’s Orchard took to Facebook, expressing concern and raising awareness about the proposal. The post received dozens of comments, as well as a message of solidarity from nearby Edwards Apple Orchard West.
Pivot Energy, an independent power producer and the developer behind the proposed solar farm near Curran’s, has 1,900 projects completed or under development across the U.S.
WIFR reached out to Pivot Energy for a response to the proposal and the concerns being raised in the community. The company said:
Pivot Energy is committed to responding to community concerns and believes our proposed solar project can support agriculture while creating homegrown electricity at the same time. Pivot’s proposed solar project in Rockford is compliant with both state and local solar ordinances.
All our qualified community solar projects include dual land use such as sheep grazing and apiaries supported by pollinator-friendly plantings alongside solar energy production. Our projects are designed to fit into the community by using game-style fencing and vegetative buffers for visual screening.
The solar field will be planted with native and pollinator-friendly vegetation that supports biodiversity and we will partner with local grazers to use sheep to maintain vegetation on site if approved by the county.
Diverse plant species that support butterflies, bees, birds, and other pollinators help agricultural operations that rely on pollination such as orchards.
Responding to community questions is an important part of our work and we will provide more information through the public process established by county and state regulations. We will work collaboratively with the county to develop a solar project that fits its needs.
Winnebago County Board member Aaron Booker’s district includes Curran’s Orchard. He says anything that can be detrimental to business weighs heavily on him.
“Where solar panels can infringe on the quality of life, I’m also a proponent of property owner rights. So it’s a delicate balance of property owner rights and quality of life for other residents in the area,” Booker said. “So me as a representative of District 1, I am going to listen to the constituents. I’m going to listen to what they have to say. And I think the apple orchard has a very valid concern. So I will listen to that. I’ll take that into consideration along with what the neighbors, the residents have to say about it, and I will be a representative of their voice.”
At 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 13, the Winnebago County Zoning Board of Appeals is scheduled to hear arguments on the proposed solar farm. The meeting will be in room 303 of the county administration building located at 404 Elm Street in Rockford.
Wednesday’s hearing is an early, initial step in the long permitting process to build a solar project. If approved by the county this summer, Pivot Energy anticipates starting operations in early 2028.
Copyright 2026 WIFR. All rights reserved.
The Indian coal company has dissolved its solar manufacturing subsidiary, CIL Solar PV Ltd, formally ending its planned entry into integrated solar PV manufacturing.
The headquarters of Coal India
Image: Coal India Limited
From pv magazine India
Indian state-owned coal miner Coal India Ltd has dissolved its solar manufacturing arm, CIL Solar PV Ltd, ending its proposed entry into integrated solar PV manufacturing.
In a regulatory filing, Coal India said the name of its subsidiary, CIL Solar PV Ltd, has been struck off the Register of Companies under Section 248(5) of the Companies Act, 2013, and that the company now stands dissolved.
The move follows a public notice issued by the Ministry of Corporate Affairs in April 2026, stating that the Registrar of Companies proposed to strike off or remove the name of CIL Solar PV Ltd under Section 248(2) of the Companies Act, 2013.
Coal India had established CIL Solar PV Ltd as a special-purpose vehicle (SPV) to develop a planned 4 GW solar PV manufacturing facility in India, covering ingots, wafers, cells, and modules.
The proposed gigafactory formed part of Coal India’s broader diversification strategy as it seeks to expand beyond coal mining into integrated solar PV manufacturing. The company has been entering the renewable energy sector to support the decarbonization of its operations. It plans to install 3 GW of renewable energy capacity by 2027-28 and 9.5 GW by 2029-30 across India.
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The Robot Report
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The LUMI robot is designed to automate solar panel installation without changing workflows. Source: Luminous Robotics
While federal funding for solar projects may be uncertain in the U.S., interest in robotics to support construction is growing worldwide. Luminous Robotics Inc. today said it has been chosen as the first project to receive funding from the Australian government’s $100 million Solar Scaleup Challenge.
“We’ve been working on this for the past 10 months,” said Jay M. Wong, CEO of Luminous. “We’ve set up an entity and a warehouse over there and can do assembly and testing. We’ve also onboarded a general manager who’s talking to local machine shops and hiring deployment technicians and engineers.”
Founded in 2023, Luminous has developed LUMI, a robot that can pick up solar panels and place them for securing onto racks. The Boston-based startup has received $4.8 million from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA).
LUMI uses artificial intelligence and can help existing workforces to install 80 lb. (36.2 kg) solar panels up to 3.5 times faster, without any heavy lifting or workflow changes, said Luminous. This is a task that typically takes up to five people, often in high winds or hot weather.
“We did market research for the first six months after incorporation in August 2023,” recalled Wong. “People have been trying to automate solar installation for a decade, but there has been no mass adoption yet. Some companies may be better capitalized than others, but a lot has to do with focus. Solar people have been trying to build robotics companies, and robotics people have been trying to build solar companies.”
“We have a deep appreciation for the pain that the industry is trying to solve,” he told The Robot Report. “We don’t really care what the robot is. We’re not a technology company; we’re a company that solves problems.”
Wong said he wrote all the code for LUMI v1, which went from a concept to a robot in the field in 10 weeks. Luminous first tested its photovoltaic (PV) panel installer at a site in Virginia serving 1,300 customers.
The startup soon moved from wheels to a tracked iteration with a larger battery. Luminous sources robot arms and a chassis from partners and does all its assembly and testing in-house at a warehouse in Boston.
“We’ve built the most flexible solution in the industry for solar construction,” asserted Wong. “No other robot can pick up solar panels from front or back, which is an important enabler for inserting it into any construction process. The industry revolves around risk mitigation — keeping build projects on schedule without introducing a single source of massive risk. We’re not altering how you pick panels off pallets or trucks.”
“We’re now on Version 4, which is in limited production,” he said. “We’ve made it nimbler and are working to make things more modular, designing for manufacturing at scale. We’re starting to ship out LUMI across the U.S. and Australia.”
LUMI augments human workers in solar PV installation. Source: Luminous Robotics
Luminous said LUMI can enhance productivity and safety on Australian solar farms. While the system has already demonstrated cost reductions on solar farms in the U.S., the company said the ARENA project marks its first global deployment of a full fleet of five mobile manipulators, which could reduce solar farm costs by up to 6.2% over their lifetime.
Luminous has partnered with Equans, a global engineering, procurement, and construction firm, to deploy LUMI at two Australian solar farms — the 440MW Neoen Culcairn Solar Farm in New South Wales and the 250MW Engie Goorambat East Solar Farm in Victoria.
“Equans reached out to us last year and brought us in touch with ARENA,” said Wong. “We had to be sure it would be worthwhile to ship the product and have the support infrastructure. While there was a steep learning curve around regulations and other things, the Solar Scaleup Challenge was a great way to get into the Australian market. We’re flying out there this weekend.”
LUMI will also collect site and installation data to further refine its design and optimize performance for significant cost reductions in solar panel installation.
“Deploying our LUMI fleet in Australia will allow us to capture the data, performance insights, and real-world impact needed to drive global adoption—the kind of scale and transformation we founded Luminous to achieve,” said Wong.
The LUMI project continues ARENA’s support of Australian innovation in the solar PV industry. ARENA programs have provided more than $290 million to around 300 solar research and development projects since 2012.
“ARENA has set an ambitious goal to reduce the installed cost of solar to 30 cents per watt and bring the levelised cost of electricity (LCOE) below $20 per megawatt hour,” stated Daren Miller, CEO of ARENA. “These are important targets, because at this cost solar will form the foundation for Australia’s renewable energy ‘superpower’ future.”
“To achieve net zero, Australia will need immense amounts of solar power at ultra-low cost,” he added. “We’ve already proven our ability to manufacture advanced technologies. It’s now time to apply that capability to solar PV, a cornerstone of the nation’s clean energy future.”
“Collaboration with companies like Luminous is key to reducing costs and maintaining Australia’s leading role in the development and innovation of solar technologies,” he added. “We are aiming to bring together leaders across Australia and the world to tackle the challenges presented in our quest for even cheaper renewable energy through this critical technology.”
LUMI can safely and efficiently pick up solar panels from pallets for placement on racks. Source: Luminous Robotics
Luminous is a member of MassRobotics and was recently named a finalist in the 2025 Eddie awards, which recognize innovators in Massachusetts.
“We’ve had a lot of support from the local ecosystem and the state, including from the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center,” said Wong. “I learned from Southie Autonomy to be cost-efficient. We’ve been onboarding two to three people nearly every week, and we have about 12 FTEs [full-time equivalents] and five contractors.”
How is Luminous navigating changes in U.S. funding for renewable energy?
“The TAM [total addressable market] for ‘super human’ manual work is massive, at $15 trillion, and outside the capacity of immediate human scope,” said Wong. “The federal budget will affect tax credits for construction, which will hit residential markets hardest. It’s driving a frenzy to start construction immediately, particularly on the utility side.”
“But solar is still the lowest cost of energy by any source, and as AI data centers demand immediate generation for energy-intensive infrastructures, solar is still the quickest to set up,” he noted. “I’m still bullish on the industry in the U.S., and even more so globally.”
Eugene Demaitre is editorial director of the robotics group at WTWH Media. He was senior editor of The Robot Report from 2019 to 2020 and editorial director of Robotics 24/7 from 2020 to 2023. Prior to working at WTWH Media, Demaitre was an editor at BNA (now part of Bloomberg), Computerworld, TechTarget, and Robotics Business Review.
Demaitre has participated in robotics webcasts, podcasts, and conferences worldwide. He has a master’s from the George Washington University and lives in the Boston area.
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The New Zealand government has ordered a review into the installation of residential and small- to medium-scale solar as it seeks to accelerate the rollout of rooftop PV.
Image: Kerin Gedge/Unsplash
From pv magazine Australia
The New Zealand (NZ) government has announced a Sector Review into the installation rules for residential and small- to medium-scale solar with the aim of making the deployment of rooftop PV in the country the simplest in the developed world.
Data sourced from Electricity Authority Te Mana Hiko shows NZ’s distributed solar PV capacity increased 44% in 2025 with a record 258 MW installed last year. Even with the surge, only 3% of 4% of New Zealand homes have solar installed while more than 30% of Australian households now run rooftop solar.
NZ Regulation Minister David Seymour said the current installation and approvals process for residential and small- to medium-scale solar is a “red-tape nightmare”, pointing to unnecessary approval delays and inspection layers. “Just getting it approved can take months,” he said, noting that “in parts of Australia, approval of similar low-risk solar can be done in just 24 hours.”
Seymour said the NZ process currently includes up to eight layers of sign-off before small-scale solar systems can be switched on. That could require up to five separate site visits, from four separate entities.
“For example, during installation the installer often cannot turn off or reconnect the fuse, update the meter, or carry out the required independent electrical inspection,” he said. “These tasks must be done by other entities, requiring additional site visits.”
Seymour said the Victorian government’s process, which requires just one layer of sign-off for small-scale solar installation, could serve as a blueprint for NZ.
“The whole solar installation process is managed and carried out by the chosen installer,” he said. “Standard installations are inspected by a licensed electricity inspector without a site visit. Photos clearly show compliance. A site visit is only carried out in person if something unusual or non-compliant is identified in the photos.”
Seymour said the sector review will make solar an easy option in New Zealand.
“Common sense says that if something is low risk, the rules should reflect that,” he said. “Every unnecessary requirement pushes up costs and puts people off doing sensible things like generating their own power.”
Analysis by the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority shows that most NZ households could save more than $595 (NZD 1,000) a year on their power bills by installing solar panels. Installation cost of a small to medium system is estimated between $5,000 to $6,900.
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PixTreats/pixabay
The next generation of solar panels is getting dramatically better at turning sunlight into electricity, and the technology is being readied for mass production.
Two Chinese solar companies broke solar cell efficiency records in April. Trina Solar announced its new back-contact solar cell, a design that moves all electrical contacts to the rear of the panel so nothing blocks incoming sunlight, had reached a conversion efficiency of 28%. The result was independently certified by Germany’s Institute for Solar Energy Research Hamelin (ISFH). It was the first time a large-format silicon cell of its kind had reached that benchmark. PV Magazine reported that the company already has plans to mass produce the cell.
LONGi, also based in China, announced it had reached 28.13% efficiency with its own “hybrid interdigitated” back-contact (HIBC) cell, also certified by ISFH. When it comes to solar efficiency, fractions of a percent can determine whether a record stands. LONGi had set its previous 28.04% efficiency record for the HIBC cell just months earlier in January 2026.
“These hardcore breakthroughs in technological strength have already translated into a leading edge in mass production,” the company said in its press release.
Trina Solar and LONGi’s products are both made with silicon, the most common material used in solar cells. But cells can also be made with perovskite—which is cheaper and has greater light absorption potential, but has been less tested in the industry, explains Ossila, a United Kingdom-based science products company. According to BBC News, silicon-only cells have a theoretical maximum efficiency of around 33%, while perovskite cells have a theoretical maximum above 47%.
Solar panels in operation today generally have an efficiency of 20 to 22.5%, Energy Sage says.
The two materials can also be combined: last April, LONGi achieved 34.85% efficiency with a solar cell using both perovskite and silicon.
Another team of Chinese scientists made a breakthrough with perovskite, attaining a certified power conversion efficiency of 30.3% with rigid perovskite tandem solar cells, and 28% with a flexible version, writes Interesting Engineering.
Perovskite solar cell technology may be stepping up to large-scale production soon after Tandem PV, a high-efficiency perovskite-silicon panel maker, recently opened a commercial demonstration factory in Fremont, California. A company release says the 65,000-square-foot facility has capacity for 40 megawatts each year, and is “intended to validate large-format production and accelerate market adoption.”
Canary Media reports that perovskite solar technology can help the solar industry overcome the long-term problem of eventually reaching the limits of silicon’s potential efficiency.
“Even though we’re at 30%, there’s so much more room to improve, whereas silicon is kind of hitting its natural limits,” said Tandem CEO Scott Wharton. “They’ve basically squeezed almost all the lemon juice they’re going to get out of that lemon.”
PixTreats/pixabay
The next generation of solar panels is getting dramatically better at turning sunlight into electricity, and the technology is being readied for mass production.
Two Chinese solar companies broke solar cell efficiency records in April. Trina Solar announced its new back-contact solar cell, a design that moves all electrical contacts to the rear of the panel so nothing blocks incoming sunlight, had reached a conversion efficiency of 28%. The result was independently certified by Germany’s Institute for Solar Energy Research Hamelin (ISFH). It was the first time a large-format silicon cell of its kind had reached that benchmark. PV Magazine reported that the company already has plans to mass produce the cell.
LONGi, also based in China, announced it had reached 28.13% efficiency with its own “hybrid interdigitated” back-contact (HIBC) cell, also certified by ISFH. When it comes to solar efficiency, fractions of a percent can determine whether a record stands. LONGi had set its previous 28.04% efficiency record for the HIBC cell just months earlier in January 2026.
“These hardcore breakthroughs in technological strength have already translated into a leading edge in mass production,” the company said in its press release.
Trina Solar and LONGi’s products are both made with silicon, the most common material used in solar cells. But cells can also be made with perovskite—which is cheaper and has greater light absorption potential, but has been less tested in the industry, explains Ossila, a United Kingdom-based science products company. According to BBC News, silicon-only cells have a theoretical maximum efficiency of around 33%, while perovskite cells have a theoretical maximum above 47%.
Solar panels in operation today generally have an efficiency of 20 to 22.5%, Energy Sage says.
The two materials can also be combined: last April, LONGi achieved 34.85% efficiency with a solar cell using both perovskite and silicon.
Another team of Chinese scientists made a breakthrough with perovskite, attaining a certified power conversion efficiency of 30.3% with rigid perovskite tandem solar cells, and 28% with a flexible version, writes Interesting Engineering.
Perovskite solar cell technology may be stepping up to large-scale production soon after Tandem PV, a high-efficiency perovskite-silicon panel maker, recently opened a commercial demonstration factory in Fremont, California. A company release says the 65,000-square-foot facility has capacity for 40 megawatts each year, and is “intended to validate large-format production and accelerate market adoption.”
Canary Media reports that perovskite solar technology can help the solar industry overcome the long-term problem of eventually reaching the limits of silicon’s potential efficiency.
“Even though we’re at 30%, there’s so much more room to improve, whereas silicon is kind of hitting its natural limits,” said Tandem CEO Scott Wharton. “They’ve basically squeezed almost all the lemon juice they’re going to get out of that lemon.”
PixTreats/pixabay
The next generation of solar panels is getting dramatically better at turning sunlight into electricity, and the technology is being readied for mass production.
Two Chinese solar companies broke solar cell efficiency records in April. Trina Solar announced its new back-contact solar cell, a design that moves all electrical contacts to the rear of the panel so nothing blocks incoming sunlight, had reached a conversion efficiency of 28%. The result was independently certified by Germany’s Institute for Solar Energy Research Hamelin (ISFH). It was the first time a large-format silicon cell of its kind had reached that benchmark. PV Magazine reported that the company already has plans to mass produce the cell.
LONGi, also based in China, announced it had reached 28.13% efficiency with its own “hybrid interdigitated” back-contact (HIBC) cell, also certified by ISFH. When it comes to solar efficiency, fractions of a percent can determine whether a record stands. LONGi had set its previous 28.04% efficiency record for the HIBC cell just months earlier in January 2026.
View our latest digests
“These hardcore breakthroughs in technological strength have already translated into a leading edge in mass production,” the company said in its press release.
Trina Solar and LONGi’s products are both made with silicon, the most common material used in solar cells. But cells can also be made with perovskite—which is cheaper and has greater light absorption potential, but has been less tested in the industry, explains Ossila, a United Kingdom-based science products company. According to BBC News, silicon-only cells have a theoretical maximum efficiency of around 33%, while perovskite cells have a theoretical maximum above 47%.
Solar panels in operation today generally have an efficiency of 20 to 22.5%, Energy Sage says.
The two materials can also be combined: last April, LONGi achieved 34.85% efficiency with a solar cell using both perovskite and silicon.
Another team of Chinese scientists made a breakthrough with perovskite, attaining a certified power conversion efficiency of 30.3% with rigid perovskite tandem solar cells, and 28% with a flexible version, writes Interesting Engineering.
Perovskite solar cell technology may be stepping up to large-scale production soon after Tandem PV, a high-efficiency perovskite-silicon panel maker, recently opened a commercial demonstration factory in Fremont, California. A company release says the 65,000-square-foot facility has capacity for 40 megawatts each year, and is “intended to validate large-format production and accelerate market adoption.”
Canary Media reports that perovskite solar technology can help the solar industry overcome the long-term problem of eventually reaching the limits of silicon’s potential efficiency.
“Even though we’re at 30%, there’s so much more room to improve, whereas silicon is kind of hitting its natural limits,” said Tandem CEO Scott Wharton. “They’ve basically squeezed almost all the lemon juice they’re going to get out of that lemon.”
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PixTreats/pixabay
The next generation of solar panels is getting dramatically better at turning sunlight into electricity, and the technology is being readied for mass production.
Two Chinese solar companies broke solar cell efficiency records in April. Trina Solar announced its new back-contact solar cell, a design that moves all electrical contacts to the rear of the panel so nothing blocks incoming sunlight, had reached a conversion efficiency of 28%. The result was independently certified by Germany’s Institute for Solar Energy Research Hamelin (ISFH). It was the first time a large-format silicon cell of its kind had reached that benchmark. PV Magazine reported that the company already has plans to mass produce the cell.
LONGi, also based in China, announced it had reached 28.13% efficiency with its own “hybrid interdigitated” back-contact (HIBC) cell, also certified by ISFH. When it comes to solar efficiency, fractions of a percent can determine whether a record stands. LONGi had set its previous 28.04% efficiency record for the HIBC cell just months earlier in January 2026.
View our latest digests
“These hardcore breakthroughs in technological strength have already translated into a leading edge in mass production,” the company said in its press release.
Trina Solar and LONGi’s products are both made with silicon, the most common material used in solar cells. But cells can also be made with perovskite—which is cheaper and has greater light absorption potential, but has been less tested in the industry, explains Ossila, a United Kingdom-based science products company. According to BBC News, silicon-only cells have a theoretical maximum efficiency of around 33%, while perovskite cells have a theoretical maximum above 47%.
Solar panels in operation today generally have an efficiency of 20 to 22.5%, Energy Sage says.
The two materials can also be combined: last April, LONGi achieved 34.85% efficiency with a solar cell using both perovskite and silicon.
Another team of Chinese scientists made a breakthrough with perovskite, attaining a certified power conversion efficiency of 30.3% with rigid perovskite tandem solar cells, and 28% with a flexible version, writes Interesting Engineering.
Perovskite solar cell technology may be stepping up to large-scale production soon after Tandem PV, a high-efficiency perovskite-silicon panel maker, recently opened a commercial demonstration factory in Fremont, California. A company release says the 65,000-square-foot facility has capacity for 40 megawatts each year, and is “intended to validate large-format production and accelerate market adoption.”
Canary Media reports that perovskite solar technology can help the solar industry overcome the long-term problem of eventually reaching the limits of silicon’s potential efficiency.
“Even though we’re at 30%, there’s so much more room to improve, whereas silicon is kind of hitting its natural limits,” said Tandem CEO Scott Wharton. “They’ve basically squeezed almost all the lemon juice they’re going to get out of that lemon.”
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Private equity firm FH Capital reached an agreement to acquire a 75.1% majority stake in JinkoSolar’s U.S. manufacturing subsidiary to expand domestic module and battery production.
Image: JinkoSolar
From pv magazine USA
FH Capital entered a definitive agreement to acquire the majority interest in Jinko Solar (U.S.) Industries Inc., while JinkoSolar will retain a 24.9% minority stake. The deal includes a 2 GW solar module manufacturing facility and a growing battery energy storage system business.
The move to a majority-U.S. ownership structure follows a period of increasing regulatory pressure on foreign-linked entities. Under Foreign Entity of Concern (FEOC) rules, manufacturers must reduce reliance on certain international technology and ownership to qualify for the full 45X manufacturing tax credits. The transaction may help the facility navigate these requirements while positioning the brand to capture the domestic content bonus, which requires a rising percentage of U.S.-sourced components through 2027.
Post-closing, FH Capital plans to deploy expansion capital to double solar module capacity to at least 4 GW and launch domestic BESS manufacturing.
While U.S. module capacity reached 72 GW earlier in 2026, the industry is now shifting focus to vertical integration. The shift toward battery energy storage system manufacturing aligns with broader market trends as developers seek integrated solar-plus-storage solutions to mitigate grid interconnection delays and meet clean energy mandates.
The firm is led by Managing Partner Sanjeev Chaurasia, who previously headed global solar investment banking at Credit Suisse and led JinkoSolar’s initial public offering in 2010. Chaurasia noted that the transaction leverages JinkoSolar’s seven-year U.S. manufacturing presence to meet rising demand for domestic clean energy solutions.
Nigel Cockroft, U.S. General Manager of JinkoSolar, stated the transaction provides the strategic direction required to grow capacity for U.S.-sourced products. The expansion into BESS manufacturing comes as the U.S. “Solar Belt” in the Southeast and Midwest continues to attract investment for advanced manufacturing hubs.
The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory approvals. Financial terms were not disclosed. Latham & Watkins LLP is serving as legal counsel to FH Capital, while Morgan Stanley Asia Limited is serving as financial advisor to JinkoSolar.
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Published by The Maritime Executive
Published by The Maritime Executive
Published by The Maritime Executive
Published by The Maritime Executive
Published May 11, 2026 9:29 PM by The Maritime Executive
[By: Port Authority of New York and New Jersey]
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey today announced plans for a major expansion of solar energy infrastructure at Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR), which will add approximately 5 megawatts of generating capacity across five airport sites and will produce nearly 5.9 million kilowatt-hours of clean electricity in its first year of operation, enough to power more than 550 homes.
The project represents a significant contribution to the Port Authority’s industry-leading sustainability goals. In 2021, the agency installed 1.6 megawatts of solar capacity across its facilities. Today, driven by investments at its facilities across the region, the agency’s solar power generation capacity has grown to more than 14 megawatts, with more than 25,000 solar panels now generating clean energy across the agency’s portfolio. The Newark Liberty expansion will mark a nearly tenfold increase in solar energy capacity over five years, reaching nearly 20 megawatts in generating capacity across 32,000 panels.
Developed in partnership with SunLight General Capital under a power purchase agreement, the project will be designed, built, financed, owned, operated, and maintained by the developer. The Port Authority will purchase the electricity generated at a pre-determined rate, locking in long-term cost certainty while minimizing upfront capital expenditure. Construction is expected to begin this year, with completion targeted for 2028.
The Newark Liberty solar expansion adds to the Port Authority’s rapidly growing renewable energy portfolio at its facilities as part of its commitment to reach net-zero by 2050, as well as an interim goal of halving direct emissions by 2030. The agency recently announced it preliminarily met its interim goal of a 35 percent reduction in direct emissions through 2025.
“Since Day One, my administration has moved quickly to bring new, clean energy onto the grid and modernize our energy infrastructure — from launching six large-scale solar and battery storage projects to accelerating solar expansion statewide,” said New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill. ”We are continuing to lead with the Port Authority at Newark Liberty, and this project builds on that progress. This initiative will add nearly 5.9 million kilowatt-hours of clean energy annually, support new jobs, and move us closer to clean energy future. Newark Liberty is one of the front doors to New Jersey, and this project will show why we are a national leader in energy innovation.”
“Newark Liberty has been central to our sustainability story for years, home to the largest rooftop solar installation at any U.S. airport and the agency’s first fully decarbonized building,” said Port Authority Chairman Kevin O’Toole. “Today we’re adding to that record with 5 megawatts of new solar capacity across five more sites, moving this airport and this agency even closer to net-zero emissions.”
“The scale of what we are building at Newark Liberty, in addition to our existing rooftop installations, reflects how seriously this agency takes its obligations to the communities around our facilities and to the broader challenge of climate change,” said Port Authority Executive Director Kathryn Garcia. “These five additional sites at the airport, together generating 5 megawatts, show that our net-zero commitment is more than wishful thinking. It is a construction schedule and a signed agreement, with the reality of clean energy coming online at one of the busiest airports in the country.”
“We are honored to partner with the Port Authority on such an exciting and meaningful project,” said SunLight General Capital Chief Investment Officer Ed Klehe. “Expanding solar across Newark Liberty International Airport is a powerful example of how clean energy can be integrated into complex, high-impact infrastructure. The Port Authority has shown impressive environmental stewardship and a clear commitment to reducing emissions across its facilities, and SunLight General Capital is proud to help bring that vision to life through long-term ownership and operation of these solar systems.”
The five sites for new solar installations at Newark Liberty will span rooftops, parking lots and parking structures, including the parking lot in front of Buildings 79/80 at the northeast corner of the airport campus, the Terminal C garage, the P4 parking garage, and the rideshare lot. The rideshare lot installation is specifically sized to power fast-charging electric vehicle stations, bolstering the Port Authority’s commitment to support electric vehicle usage across the region. The project will avoid nearly 2,000 metric tons of CO2 equivalent annually — the equivalent of taking approximately 460 gasoline-powered passenger vehicles off the road for a year.
The Port Authority selected SunLight General Capital through a competitive bidding process in 2024. Under the power purchase agreement, SunLight will build, own and maintain the solar installation sites while the Port Authority purchases the electricity they produce at a locked-in rate, a model that allows the agency to add significant clean energy capacity without a large upfront public investment.
In 2021, the Port Authority became the first U.S. transportation agency to commit to full net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 and the first to sign the Paris climate agreement. The Port Authority’s net-zero roadmap, released in 2023, lays out more than 40 concrete actions spanning aviation, maritime, rail, and infrastructure, including targets for fleet electrification, building decarbonization, solar expansion, and cooperative emissions reductions with tenants and contractors.
At Newark Liberty, the Terminal A parking garage already houses a 5-megawatt rooftop solar array, the largest rooftop solar installation at any U.S. airport, with 12,708 panels covering the equivalent of more than six football fields. The airport’s historic Building One, dedicated in 1935 as the nation’s first air passenger terminal, recently became the Port Authority’s first building to undergo a full decarbonization retrofit, eliminating all fossil fuel use on-site and serving as the prototype for future building decarbonization plans across the agency.
Across the region, the Port Authority’s solar buildout has repeatedly set new industry standards. A 12-megawatt solar carport is under construction at John F. Kennedy International Airport’s (JFK) Long Term Parking Lot 9, paired with 7.5 megawatts of battery storage and a community solar component that will deliver discounted clean energy to low-income residents in surrounding Queens neighborhoods. JFK’s New Terminal One will feature more than 13,000 solar panels on its roof, the largest solar array at any airport terminal in the country, spanning nearly seven football fields. A 1.5-megawatt array operates atop LaGuardia Airport’s Terminal B garage, and a 7.2-megawatt installation at the Port of New York and New Jersey now generates 50 percent of the Port Newark Container Terminal’s annual energy needs.
Solar is one pillar of a sweeping sustainability agenda the Port Authority has pursued across its facilities. On fleet electrification, the agency has met its interim goal of converting 50 percent of its non-emergency light-duty vehicle fleet to electric, supported by more than 300 charging ports across Port Authority facilities. More than 1,700 pieces of zero-emission ground service equipment like baggage tugs, pushback tractors and belt loaders are now in use across Port Authority airports, the result of sustainability requirements the agency has embedded in its agreements with airline and terminal partners. In 2024, the Port Authority received a record grant through the EPA’s Clean Ports Program, the largest sustainability award in the agency’s history, directing funds toward cleaner equipment and infrastructure at the East Coast’s busiest seaport. Construction is also underway on the new Midtown Bus Terminal, designed from the ground up for net-zero operations and built to accommodate all-electric bus fleets.
The products and services herein described in this press release are not endorsed by The Maritime Executive.
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Published May 11, 2026 6:59 PM by The Maritime Executive
Authorities in Europe are intensifying their efforts to disrupt the trafficking of drugs from Latin America into the lucrative European market. Officials were celebrating the success of a coordinated operation that led to major seizures and arrests, while they were also saddened by a tragic accident. In recent months, Latin American drug traffickers have come up with new tricks to run their trade, with the Atlantic Ocean emerging as a major “cocaine highway,” officials report. Europol has warned that criminal…
Shipping
Published May 11, 2026 6:06 PM by The Maritime Executive
Fuel shortages triggered by the ongoing Iran war continue to be felt across the world, potentially also affecting polar missions. South Africa has confirmed delays to its annual Marion Island relief voyage in the Southern Ocean. The rescheduling of the relief mission to the Sub-Antarctic region is due to the late delivery of the polar diesel needed for the operation. In a statement to local media, the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and Environment (DFFE) confirmed that the icebreaker SA Agulhas…
Cruise Ships
Published May 11, 2026 5:48 PM by The Maritime Executive
Health authorities are confirming that the evacuation of the passengers and some of the crew from the expedition ship Hondius was finished late on Monday, and the repatriation efforts were completed. The medical efforts shift to the individual countries with support from the World Health Organization and others. Oceanwide Expeditions said in a statement late on Monday, May 11, that 122 people had left the cruise ship, 87 passengers and 35 crew, and all have departed Tenerife on individually arranged…
Offshore
Published May 11, 2026 4:47 PM by The Maritime Executive
The U.S. Coast Guard led a response to a fire that is burning aboard a non-operational offshore gas platform located off the coast of California. At least two fireboats were on the scene while the USCG maintained a 1,000-yard safety zone around the platform. The operation known as Platform Habitat is reported to be approximately 7.5 miles offshore in the Santa Barbara Channel and near Carpinteria. It is owned by a company called DCOR, which has been operating offshore energy…
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Kuala Lumpur: Gamuda Bhd’s Australian subsidiary, DT Infrastructure, has begun work on the Jinbi Solar Farm for Yindjibarndi Energy Corpn (YEC), a flagship 75-megawatt renewable energy project in Western Australia’s Pilbara region.
Located in Yindjibarndi Ngurra, about 56 kilometres south of Karratha, the project will feature around 160,000 solar panels and is expected to play a key role in accelerating the region’s shift towards cleaner energy.
Once completed, the Jinbi Solar Farm will supply renewable electricity to Rio Tinto’s regional power network, helping to support mining operations with a more sustainable and reliable energy source while reducing carbon emissions in the Pilbara.
In a statement, DT Infrastructure chief executive John Anderson said the project marks an important step for both the company’s growing renewable energy portfolio and the broader energy transition in Western Australia.
“This project is not only a vital addition to our renewable energy pipeline but also a testament to our commitment to the Pilbara’s future infrastructure.
“Partnering with one of Australia’s largest Indigenous-led renewable energy initiatives allows us to support YEC in delivering meaningful, long-term outcomes for the Yindjibarndi community,” he said.
The Jinbi Solar Farm forms part of YEC’s wider renewable energy development plans across its Chichester Range and Eastern Development Zone hubs, which collectively support more than 1.5 gigawatts (GW) of proposed wind, solar and battery storage capacity in the Pilbara.
YEC chief executive officer Craig Ricato said DT Infrastructure’s involvement is a key step in realising the company’s vision for sustainable energy on Yindjibarndi.
Established in 2023, YEC aims to develop up to 3GW of renewable energy capacity across roughly 13,000 square kilometres of Yindjibarndi Ngurra, supporting decarbonisation, electrification and the development of new industries in the region, while generating long-term economic and social benefits for the Yindjibarndi people.
Project mobilisation is already underway, with completion targeted for early 2028.
DT Infrastructure continues to position itself as a key delivery partner in Australia’s clean energy transition, focusing on large-scale infrastructure projects that support long-term sustainability goals.
Gamuda has been steadily expanding its renewable energy footprint across the Asia Pacific, spanning solar, hydro and wind developments.
Its portfolio under DT Infrastructure includes projects such as Stage 1 of Marinus Link, the Carmody’s Hill Wind Farm, the Goulburn River Solar Farm, and the Boulder Creek Wind Farm.
Other Similar News: The Edge
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Yindjibarndi Energy Corporation (YEC), one of Australia’s largest Indigenous-led renewable energy initiatives, will begin construction of the Jinbi Solar Project in the Pilbara after reaching financial close and signing a 30-year Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with Rio Tinto.
The project is YEC’s first to progress through to financial close, three years after YEC was established as a partnership between Yindjibarndi Aboriginal Corporation and ACEN Corporation.
Related article: Rio Tinto to build two solar farms in the Northern Territory
A central component of the commercial framework is a long‑term Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with Rio Tinto for Stage 1 of the project. Under the agreement, YEC will supply 100% of the electricity generated by Jinbi to Rio Tinto, supporting decarbonisation of Rio Tinto’s Iron Ore Pilbara operations once the project is operational.
Stage 1 of the Jinbi Solar Project will comprise a 75MWac solar facility, with an option to expand to 150MWac, including the potential addition of Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS), subject to regulatory approvals and future development decisions.
YEC has issued notices to proceed to its engineering, procurement and construction contractor, DT Infrastructure. Construction will now commence, with full commercial operations expected in mid‑2028.
YEC CEO Craig Ricato said, “Reaching Financial Close on our first project in the Pilbara within three years of the partnership’s operation is a significant milestone for YEC and our shareholders, the Yindjibarndi Traditional Owners and ACEN.
“It confirms that a Yindjibarndi-led project, grounded in Country and culture, can meet the rigorous commercial requirements of the energy market while staying true to our values and governance responsibilities.”
Yindjibarndi Nation CEO Michael Woodley said, “Jinbi is about more than a renewable energy project—it is about Yindjibarndi people exercising authority on Country and building an economic future that reflects our law, culture and responsibilities.
Related article: Rio Tinto reveals plans for 80MW solar farm in Pilbara
“Reaching Financial Close demonstrates that when development is Yindjibarndi‑led, underpinned by strong governance and the right partnerships, it can deliver outcomes that are both commercially sound and culturally grounded.”
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Iberdrola Australia has celebrated a major milestone at its Broadsound Solar Farm and Battery project, with installation of all 609,522 solar panels.
The 376MW Broadsound Solar Farm and 180MW (2hr) co-located Battery Energy Storage System (BESS), located at Clarke Creek, about two hours north-west from Rockhampton, will generate enough electricity to power 145,000 homes.
Related article: Iberdrola begins construction on first project in Queensland
Across the site, more than 91,000 piles were driven and 7,006 trackers installed. Behind this has been a mechanical installation team of 110 people, with close to half identifying as First Nations.
Iberdrola Australia CEO and chairman Ross Rolfe AO said, “After providing energy to Australian customers, including Queensland commercial and industrial businesses, for many years we’re excited to soon be able to generate energy locally here with the Broadsound Solar Farm and BESS project.
“With more than 20 years experience working in Australian communities we’re looking forward to this big step into the Queensland market and adding to our 1.7GW of energy assets in operation across the country.
“It’s been great to work with the local community, the First Nations people, and in particular the Queensland Government and Isaac Regional Council to develop this project to deliver clean and affordable energy.”
Related article: Iberdrola Australia acquires 242MW Ararat Wind Farm
Powerlink recently completed the connection to Broadsound Solar Farm ahead of schedule, which means Iberdrola can commence testing before exporting to the National Electricity Market (NEM) once construction is complete.
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Some hate renewables, others preach the end of life as we know it if we don’t replace all coal and gas. These opposing viewpoints are exploited by partisan politics. #renewables #energytransition #fossilfuels #netzero
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UK Residential Solar Market Size to Worth USD 3,612.4 Million by 2034 | With a 13.62% CAGR openPR.com
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Some renewable energy plants capable of providing a reliable, continuous supply of electricity are already cheaper than gas- and coal-fired power plants. Over the next ten years, costs for hybrid projects that include storage will continue to fall.
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